Europski gospodarski i socijalni odbor
Hrana ima središnju ulogu u našem životu i sastavni je dio europske kulture. Međutim, hrana koju jedemo, načini na koje se proizvodi i količina hrane koja se baca u velikoj mjeri utječu na ljudsko zdravlje, prirodne resurse i društvo u cjelini.
Pandemija COVID-a 19 znak je upozorenja da je vrijeme za promjene. Ukazala je na činjenicu da se put hrane „od polja do stola” ne smije uzeti zdravo za gotovo te je iznijela na vidjelo međupovezanost dionika i aktivnosti u cijelom prehrambenom sustavu. Pravedni, resursno učinkoviti, uključivi i održivi opskrbni lanci u cijelom poljoprivredno-prehrambenom sektoru potrebniji su nego ikad kako bi se osigurala jednaka raspodjela koristi za građane, poljoprivrednike, radnike i poduzeća.
EGSO već godinama ima vodeću ulogu u zalaganju za održivu i sveobuhvatnu prehrambenu politiku. Integriran i sistemski pristup nužan je za hvatanje u koštac s višestrukim i međusobno povezanim izazovima koji se tiču prehrambenih sustava, za ostvarivanje gospodarske, okolišne i društveno-kulturne održivosti, za osiguravanje integracije i dosljednosti među područjima politike (npr. politike koje se bave poljoprivredom, okolišem, zdravstvom, obrazovanjem, trgovinom, gospodarstvom, tehnologijom itd.) te za promicanje suradnje među svim razinama vlasti.
The SUD can play a central role in the European Green Deal framework, being crucial to the Commission's Farm-to-Fork strategy for shifting to a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system, and complementary to both the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 and the Zero Pollution Strategy.
The own-initiative opinion aims to analyse the link between current food systems and diet-related diseases; identify policies, tools and instruments that are needed to foster healthier diets both on the supply and demand side.
The Commission is proposing a targeted revision of the General Food Law Regulation coupled with the revision of eight pieces of sectoral legislation, to bring them in line with the general rules and strengthen transparency in the area of GMOs, feed additives, smoke flavourings, food contact materials, food additives, food enzymes and flavourings, plant protection products and novel foods.
The Commission's initiative follows one of the recommendations of the Agricultural Markets Task Force that the EU should legislate in the areas of UTPs for agricultural products, and responds to some of the conclusions of the 2016 EESC opinion on "A fairer food supply chain".
Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions - The Future of Food and Farming
The own-initiative opinion, prepared by the EESC Permanent Study Group on Sustainable Food Systems, will aim to identify existing challenges, policy inconsistencies and obstacles to a more coherent food policy approach at EU level; to provide examples of ongoing transitions to more sustainable food policies at local/regional/national level; to highlight the role of civil society in building partnerships among stakeholders across the food supply chain; and to define how a comprehensive food policy for the EU should look, including an indicative roadmap.